Jessie Lovette was born when segregation still dominated the South. Her mother gave birth to her at home with the help of a midwife. There was no official birth certificate filed, said Lovette, born in the late 1940s in Marion County, Georgia. Jessie Lovette has been fighting for years to obtain her birth certificate, now she’s unable to obtain a Real ID without one. “The midwives couldn’t read or write, but they know how to deliver the babies,” she said in a recent CBS News interview, explaining why her birth wasn’t officially reported. Lovette said the lack of documentation has been a point of shame throughout most of her life. “It’s like I’m nobody. That’s how I feel,” she said. ” I was embarrassed to tell my children.” The REAL ID Act was enacted in 2005 following recommendations from the 9/11 Commission to enhance the security of state-issued identification documents. Implementation has faced multiple delays, but as of Wednesday, all U.S. states and territories are issuing REAL ID-compliant licenses and IDs Still, she had managed to get by without an ID for most of her life. “I used to go over there by the stadium,” Lovette recalled. “They didn’t ask for no birth certificate or nothing. You just tell them your age and where you was born at and they give you an ID.

Charles Leto, a 55-year-old seasonal lifeguard with the Chicago Park District, has been charged with murder and attempted murder after allegedly shooting two Black teenagers at Douglass Park. One of the teens died, and the other remains in critical condition. The victims’ families are calling for hate crime charges. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Leto, who worked as a seasonal lifeguard, was fixing his bike when 15-year-old Marjay Dotson and 14-year-old Jeremy Herred stood nearby with a group of teens. Police say Leto pulled a handgun from his backpack and fired, hitting Marjay in the back and Jeremy in the neck. Marjay died at the hospital. Jeremy remains in critical condition and may have brain damage, according to their family’s attorney. Jeremy is also the cousin of Laquan McDonald, a Black teen whose 2014 killing by a police officer sparked national outrage. Leto told responding officers the teens followed and attacked him. “I defended myself, I have a license,” he reportedly said. His attorney declined to comment. The Chicago Park District has not released a statement. Attorney Jeff Neslund, who represents the victims’ families, urged prosecutors to explore hate crime charges, citing the racial dynamics of the case — Leto is white, and the victims are Black. He said the families are devastated by the shooting and want full accountability.

In 1993, a disturbing photograph taken in Somalia revealed a troubling side of a United Nations mission that had been created to protect civilians and deliver humanitarian aid. The image showed Belgian paratroopers serving with the United Nations Operation in Somalia II, known as UNOSOM II, holding a young Somali child above an open fire. The international mission had been launched after years of civil war, famine, and political instability left millions of people facing hunger, displacement, and violence. Foreign troops were sent into Somalia to secure humanitarian aid routes, protect relief workers, and help restore order. However, tensions between peacekeepers and local communities increased as the mission continued, and reports of civilian mistreatment began to emerge. The photograph became one of the most widely condemned incidents linked to the Belgian contingent. The soldiers reportedly claimed they were trying to frighten the child after accusing him of stealing. However, the image sparked international outrage and raised serious concerns about the treatment of vulnerable civilians by troops who had been sent to protect them. The controversy extended beyond the photograph. Other images and testimonies later surfaced alleging racism, humiliation, and abuse involving some Belgian soldiers during the deployment. Investigations followed, and the incidents fueled broader debate about accountability, oversight, and the conduct of international forces operating during humanitarian missions. For many, the photograph remains a powerful reminder that peacekeeping forces must be held accountable when the people they are assigned to protect are instead subjected to mistreatment. If you love content like this follow us @blacklandskonnected for daily content.

She’s crossing, he’s flying, and he hit her. She flew up in the air, tumbled two car lengths, and stopped,” he said. “He then dragged her, rolled over her and continued on. And then he stopped — he looked at her for a good minute, and then he left.” “We called the ambulance for her, so they can actually try to pick her up. But because she’s fragile, she took her last breath right on this floor,” a witness told CBS News. Campbell’s granddaughter, Sherice Thomas, told CBS News she is still struggling to come to terms with the loss. “Everybody loved her,” she said. “She was amazing. She was so sweet.” Campbell’s neighbor, Freddy Williams, 80, told the Post he was stunned by how she died. He added Campbell had just complained about reckless scooter-riding kids in the area. “I could not believe that,” Williams said. “Me and that lady were just talking. She was telling me about these kids riding the scooters. She was telling me, ‘I hope I don’t get hit by a bike, because these people are going crazy. ’ If you love content like this follow us @blacklandskonnected for daily content.

A White farm owner and his farm supervisor from South Africa are on trial for allegedly shooting two Black women who entered their property and feeding their bodies to pigs. The brutal case has sparked national outrage over race and justice. Zachariah Olivier, 60, is accused of shooting the women with the help of 19-year-old Adrian De Wet. Authorities say the killings happened in August 2024, on a farm in Sebayeng, outside Mankweng, Limpopo. Police found the decomposed bodies in a pigsty on August 20. A third person, a 47-year-old man who was with the women, survived the attack but was shot and hospitalized. He told reporters that one of the victims was his wife and the other was a neighbor. The group had gone to the farm to collect expired dairy products. The men were arrested after the survivor’s statement and police investigation. They now face charges including two counts of murder, attempted murder, defeating the ends of justice, and illegal possession of firearms. Musoro also faces immigration-related charges. The accused appeared in Limpopo Polokwane High Court but did not enter pleas. The court postponed the hearing to Thursday. The killings have renewed attention on farm-related violence in South Africa. In a similar 2023 case, four men were charged for killing and burning three people accused of stealing sheep. In 2019, two White farmers were convicted, then later acquitted, for the death of a Black teenager in a sunflower theft case. South Africa continues to battle high crime rates. Between April and December last year, nearly 20,000 murders were recorded. Farm-related killings, though rare, remain deeply divisive in a country still struggling with racial wounds. If you love content like this follow us @blacklandskonnected for daily content.